


Boundaries

by smolowl



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Almost Kiss, Angst, Developing Relationship, First Kiss, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-18 18:55:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28997097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smolowl/pseuds/smolowl
Summary: Hubert has spent his whole life creating boundaries to keep people out.  And yet, somehow Ferdinand keeps breaking in.The development of their relationship.
Relationships: Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra
Comments: 4
Kudos: 43





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> There's a flashback with some mild descriptions of violence/injuries in italics, but nothing too graphic or detailed.

The sinking sun turned the normally bright greenhouse a faint, washed out orange, the taller plants casting stark shadows into dirty corners. Hubert knelt on the stone floor, head ducked under wide tropical leaves to tend to his section of soil. He only had a few plants here, all rather small and easy to pass over. But they each had the ability to kill, when used properly. Whether it was the branches, leaves, flowers, or roots, whole or diced or ground or liquefied, they all had their uses in various poisons. Hubert had gotten them imported from all corners of Fodlan over the years, and quietly tended to them and grew them in his office before moving them to the garden. He was quite sure only Bernadetta knew their true nature, and he was confident she would not tell anyone else and risk outing his little secret.

With a small yet sharp pair of shears, Hubert snipped off a couple leaves from a short, squat plant. The leaves had bright red veins spanning through them, reminiscent of fresh blood. Beautiful to many people, but truly a warning of the plant's toxic nature. He tucked the leaves carefully into a small pouch, careful not to break them, and returned to his pruning.

The next plant had lost its leaves for the season, empty twigs making it look dead. However, bright purple flowers bloomed from its upper branches. Hubert lined the shears up with a thick lower branch, leaving the flowers alone. The branches had enough potency on their own, the flowers only becoming necessary if he wanted someone dead within the next five minutes. A well placed dagger did the trick as well, but the flower shortened clean up time considerably.

The branch was severed with a sharp  _ snap _ , and Hubert flinched. It sounded almost exactly like…

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had come to the greenhouse to  _ distract _ himself from what had happened, not remind him. Their last battle had been just over a week ago, and yet Ferdinand had still not left the infirmary. The memory flooded over Hubert before he could stop it, branch and shears still in hand.

_ There was a snap as the handle of a lance broke, followed by Ferdinand falling off of his horse and crashing into the mud that coated the battlefield. The horse reared up, and Hubert turned away to hit the enemy paladin with what might have been the most destructive Dark Spikes T he had ever cast. Hubert feared the crunch of armor as Ferdinand's horse slammed back to the ground, but there was only the splash of mud. The horse immediately dashed away, pacing nearby but not approaching as Hubert rushed to where Ferdinand had hit the ground. _

_ Ferdinand's eyes were screwed shut, hand wrapped around the hilt of the lance piercing his ribs. He took a shallow breath as Hubert knelt by his side. "Ferdinand!" _

_ At Hubert's voice, he opened his eyes, hand falling from the lance into the mud. "Ah, Hubert," he said, so quietly Hubert had to lean closer to hear him. "I am sorry. I did not want to fall just yet, but it seems--" he coughed, shuddering. "It seems this is the end for me." _

_ "You won't die, Ferdinand," Hubert said, almost pleaded, because he could not bear it to be true. "Stay with me, I-- I will get Linhardt, and he will heal you." _

_ As Hubert stood to leave, he was stopped by a blood-soaked gauntlet taking his hand with surprising strength. "Hubert, please. It is no use, no one can survive this type of injury. I must tell you something." _

_ Ferdinand gently tugged him back, and Hubert fell to his knees again at his side. "You  _ will _ live, Ferdinand, let me go--!" _

_ "I will not die with regrets, Hubert!" Ferdinand snapped before gasping in pain, his breath rattling faintly in his chest. "I-- I never got to tell you--" _

Hubert startled in the greenhouse, cold stone against his hands bringing him back to reality. He had briefly forgotten about that part, given that Ferdinand had almost died, but now he remembered with painful clarity. Thank the goddess no one came to the greenhouse at that moment to witness him having some sort of emotional episode. Setting the shears down with a trembling hand, he covered the flush on his face with his other hand, the scent of freshly trimmed plants stuck to the fabric.

_ "Tell me later, please," Hubert begged, casting the meager heal spell he knew over torn flesh, a sickening amount of blood. _

_ Ferdinand shook his head. "Please listen." He took Hubert's hand, ignoring the dirt smeared across his glove, and pressed his lips to Hubert's knuckles. "I had so many words to preface this, but I fear I no longer have the breath. I will keep it brief. I'm in love with you." _

_ Hubert's breath caught in his chest, and he couldn't move. "You--" _

_ "It is foolish, I know, but…" He smiled despite himself. "I had to tell you. Please respond before I pass out." _

_ "You are a fool!" Hubert finally said, standing again in a sharp motion. Ferdinand winced, but looked like he had expected such a reaction. "Saying something like that now--!" _

_ Ferdinand relaxed, head falling into wet soil. "Leave here before you are in danger," he said, eyes slipping shut.  _

_ "Ferdinand!" Hubert barked. "I will not have you die after saying that! Not when I--" He swallowed, watching Ferdinand watch him-- "I also--" He had never expected to have to say this out loud, what he felt was one of his greatest secrets and shames, but he was left with no choice. He could not meet Ferdinand's eye, leaving him to stare at the blood-soaked mud. "I care for you more than I could ever say, so--" he swallowed past the lump in his throat-- "so you cannot die! I will not allow it." _

_ Ferdinand's eyes widened in surprise, and he tried to sit up. "Hubert--!" He coughed and choked on something, turning to the side and spitting blood. _

_ "Stay here and stay awake," Hubert commanded, though his voice shook. "You will live. Please, you have to." _

_ Ferdinand trembled before falling back into the mud. "I am sorry," he said, as Hubert turned and ran. _

Hubert's hands still shook as he remembered. Now that he could think more clearly, it was astounding that Ferdinand didn't die. The lance had pierced all the way through his chest, puncturing his right lung. Somehow it had missed every other vital organ and major blood vessel. Manuela said it was by the goddess, Linhardt said it was just luck. Hubert didn't care what it was, just that Ferdinand had survived.

In only three days, Ferdinand had awoken in the Garreg Mach infirmary, though he was barely conscious due to how much white magic had been poured into him. On the fifth day, Hubert was allowed to visit, visions of Ferdinand bleeding out in the mud still haunting him and mind repeating Ferdinand's words when he had a second to think. It was good to see Ferdinand more responsive, though he could not talk much due to his healing lung.

In the days following, Manuela allowed Hubert to visit when he could, usually caught between working through his and now Ferdinand's business. She said it brightened Ferdinand's mood when he visited, though it was clear by her expression she couldn't figure out why  _ he  _ of all people had this effect. So even when he slipped into the infirmary in the early pre-dawn hours, Ferdinand awoke and greeted him with a smile.

One of the first things he had asked, much to Hubert's alarm, was whether he had meant what he said on the battlefield. Embarrassed, he dipped his head and admitted that yes, it was true. Ferdinand had taken his hand again at that, and said he wanted to court Hubert. That he had been given a second chance by the goddess, and he would not waste it. Hubert thought that courting him would certainly be a waste of Ferdinand's time, but assented. Their talk had grown lighter after that, but ever since then it had occupied all of Hubert's thoughts not focused on work and Ferdinand's health.

He had never been  _ courted _ before. By anyone, much less someone of Ferdinand's standing and appearance. He had a vague idea of what it entailed, but no specifics and certainly no experience. He did not think he was cut out for such a relationship. He was raised to stay by Edelgard's side, taught how to kill and hide in the shadows. The only reason he was even in the greenhouse was because he needed ingredients to mix poisons. Love had never been a consideration in his life.

From there, it was rather easy to come to the conclusion that Ferdinand deserved better than him. Someone who was not a murderer, someone who could treat him well, court  _ him  _ properly. Someone who could make him happy. Hubert was woefully inadequate for such a position. This was fact, but it did not make his heart hurt any less.

Goddess, if Hubert could turn the shears on himself and prune these feelings, he would. Taking a deep breath and grabbing the shears from where he had set them down, he moved onto the next plant, trimming the searching tendrils growing from it so it didn't smother everything nearby. These were useless for making poisons, but soon enough the plant would grow large enough to form tubers around the roots that contained deadly toxins. They were easy to liquefy and only added the slightest bitter flavor to a drink. 

The doors to the greenhouse creaked open, startling Hubert to his feet. He did not know who would be coming in at this hour, and he gripped the shears tightly, blade out. He had never killed anyone with gardening shears before, but there was a first time for everything.

A familiar voice called out: "Hubert?"

Hubert dropped the shears, letting them hit the stone floor with a quiet  _ clink _ . "Ferdinand! What are you doing here?" 

Ferdinand stood by one of the greenhouse doors, leaning on it rather heavily. His voice was so much more quiet than usual, but as he met Hubert's gaze he grinned. "I was looking for you!"

Hubert strode over to the door without a second thought, offering an arm. "Why are you out of the infirmary?" he scowled. "You have not been wandering around the entire monastery, I hope."

Ferdinand laughed weakly. "No, it was trouble enough to make it here. I asked the professor for your location to shorten my journey. You know, I did not realize before how many stairs there were across the monastery." He took Hubert's arm, though put more weight on Hubert than he had expected, making him almost stumble.

"You are in no condition to be walking around," Hubert admonished, shifting his weight to better support Ferdinand. "I will take you back to the infirmary at once."

"No!" Ferdinand exclaimed, grabbing Hubert's shoulder. "I just made it here. Please, I am fine. I-- I wished to see you."

Hubert frowned. "You may see me in the infirmary."

Ferdinand gave a tired approximation of a glare. "I have been in there for days. I wanted to finally leave, and after much convincing Manuela said I could go on a brief walk."

"Crossing the monastery is not a brief walk."

"So I have found." He smiled up at Hubert. He realized they hadn't been this close together since Ferdinand had been injured, though he could not make any space with Ferdinand leaning on him so heavily. "I am rather tired, so please allow me to join you."

Hubert studied his expression. He didn't seem too exhausted or worn out, just a bit winded. His hair was tangled from so much time spent in a bed, and he smelled faintly of linen and disinfectant. Perhaps he did need some time away from the infirmary.

Glancing back to his plants, Hubert nodded. "As you wish. I was trimming my plants, so if you would like, you may sit on the floor with me."

Somehow Ferdinand's smile became even brighter. "That is fine with me! I do not feel like standing right now."

Hubert helped him over to his meager pile of cuttings, though already Ferdinand was bearing more of his weight himself. Careful not to agitate his wound, Ferdinand slowly sat on the floor, Hubert asking if he was okay.

"I have never seen you like this," Ferdinand chuckled as Hubert knelt back in front of his plants. "Is this how you are with Edelgard?"

Hubert snorted at that. "Lady Edelgard would not get herself so grievously injured," he said, picking up his shears. "And if she were, she has enough sense to remain in the infirmary until fully healed."

"So you are like this only for me then," Ferdinand laughed, and Hubert was tempted to argue the point but found he could not ruin Ferdinand's mirth after he came so close to death.

Raising the shears again to trim the sprouting vines, Hubert asked, "How has your healing progressed?"

Ferdinand shifted, wincing as his arm pulled on his ribs. "Shockingly well, it seems. I know I am pushing things a bit currently, but not even I thought I would be walking around within the next week."

"You shouldn't be," Hubert muttered, but Ferdinand ignored him.

"I have always been a fast healer, so I think that has played a role. Of course, I would not take credit from the healers who helped me either."

Hubert tucked the vine cuttings in a separate pouch to burn them later. Each of them could sprout into a new deadly plant, and it was best to get rid of them completely. Taking the bag with his ingredients, he turned to Ferdinand. "You almost died, Ferdinand. You must be more careful both in healing and on the battlefield from now on."

Ferdinand lowered his gaze. "I understand. Truly, I thought the same. I expected to die there in the mud." He shook his head. "When I am not sleeping, lately, that thought occupies me wholly."

Hubert didn't say anything, couldn't even move. It took up most of his thoughts as well, but he did not want Ferdinand to worry about him in addition to his injury. He wanted to reach out, comfort him somehow, but he had never been much of a comfort to anyone, so he kept still.

"However, there is also something good that happened that frequents my thoughts," Ferdinand said, shyly glancing at the poisonous plants. 

Hubert had no idea what he could be talking about. "And what would that be?"

Ferdinand laughed gently, bringing his hand to his ribs after a second. "You are impossible. It is you!"

"Me?" Hubert asked. He had not contributed to Ferdinand's healing in any way, so what could he… "Oh."

Ferdinand's laugh was more of a huff of air this time. "Honestly, Hubert, how can someone so smart be so oblivious?"

Hubert, smartly, did not respond.

Ferdinand shook his head before continuing. "I am glad that I was able to tell you how I felt, even if the circumstances were less than ideal."

"That's a word for it," Hubert muttered. Thoughts of his inadequacies and hesitation circled through his mind again, and he sighed. Best to get this over with now and cut it off before it can begin. Gathering his courage, he said, "Ferdinand, I wish to be honest with you about this."

Ferdinand's eyes widened. "Please do."

"I… I have no experience in this area," Hubert said, glancing away. "I cannot help but think I will not meet your expectations."

"Hubert--!" Ferdinand began, but Hubert held up a hand. 

"It took me an unfortunately long time to realize it, but you are truly a wonderful person. You really should court someone who is… well, better than me."

Ferdinand frowned. "Are you telling me I have low standards?"

Hubert almost choked. "That isn't what I meant to imply--!"

"I am just kidding," Ferdinand laughed. "Hubert, you are also a great person. I can see you do not agree, but I will be sure to tell you as often as I possibly can. And it is alright you do not know what you are doing. I do not mind in the least." With another chuckle, he added, "We all have to learn sometime, no?"

"I did not expect to," Hubert muttered, getting another quiet laugh from Ferdinand.

"Well, every relationship is a bit different. We will figure it out together!" Ferdinand grinned.

Hubert felt his face get warm, and turned to check the plants one last time and make sure he had gotten everything he needed. "If you are sure."

"Oh, completely," Ferdinand said, moving closer.

Hubert stopped in place as Ferdinand leaned against him, head resting on his shoulder. He turned his head, lower left field of vision now orange. "... Is that comfortable? My pauldron must be in the way."

Ferdinand shook his head, just pressing closer. "I cannot feel it beneath your cape. I am quite content."

Hubert glanced out the narrow space between the greenhouse doors. It seemed no one was around to see this little display, which he was thankful for. Carefully, he placed a hand on top of Ferdinand's head, gently holding him in place. "I would like to keep this relationship between just us," Hubert murmured. "It would not do well to be targeted by an enemy because of it."

Hubert could not see Ferdinand's expression, but he could feel his shoulders slump. "I understand," he said, though he still sounded disappointed.

Hubert had finished his pruning, and had no real reason to linger, but Ferdinand was rather comfortable at his side and he couldn't bring himself to move. He visually checked his plants again-- they all seemed quite healthy, growing new leaves or branches or flowers. He took the two pouches he had gathered, one to burn and one to use, and placed them in the pockets of his coat.

After waiting a few more minutes, which was all the time he could bear doing nothing, Hubert patted Ferdinand's shoulder and moved to stand. Ferdinand was much improved after practically stumbling into the greenhouse, and followed suit on his own.

"Thank you for letting me stay with you," Ferdinand said, still standing close.

Hubert could not meet his eye. "It was no problem. You should know I do not mind your company by now."

Ferdinand smiled. "That is a compliment, coming from you!" He leaned in again, holding Hubert's arm.

"Hm," Hubert said in response. He had not expected Ferdinand to be quite so touchy right away-- it wasn't exactly the traditional noble courtship he had expected from him-- but perhaps his extended stay in the infirmary had left him in this state. If that were the case, Hubert could certainly forgive it. Not that he minded in the first place.

He turned to tell Ferdinand something, but immediately forgot when he saw Ferdinand leaning closer, standing on his toes, and  _ oh goddess was Ferdinand going to kiss him? _

In a sudden panic, Hubert moved without thinking, covering Ferdinand's mouth with his hand before he could get any closer.

Ferdinand blinked in confusion, saying something that was muffled by Hubert's glove. Or maybe he just couldn't hear it over the sound of his heart pounding in his ears.

It took another second for Hubert to process what had happened, and he sharply pulled away. "I-- I'm so sorry--" he managed, before realizing that there was a small piece of leaf stuck to the corner of Ferdinand's mouth. A leaf that must have been stuck to his glove, and had a deadly poison within it.

Ferdinand's brows furrowed as Hubert blanched. "Hold still," Hubert said, barely audible, as he reached out and plucked the deadly plant off.

Ferdinand reached up and rubbed at the area where the plant had been with his thumb, and Hubert flicked the piece of leaf to the floor, desperately trying to think of a way to explain himself. "Apologies," he said after a second. "I do not think-- I'm not--" He cleared his throat. "I'm not ready to... to do that yet. Please."

Goddess, he was an idiot. He pinched the bridge of his nose again, face burning in embarrassment and shame.

"That is alright!" Ferdinand said, recovering much more quickly. "I suppose-- well, I really should have said something."

The bag of poisonous plant bits weighed heavy in his pocket. "It might be best to warn me before coming in direct contact with me," Hubert said. "I would not want to react in surprise and hurt you."

"'Direct contact.' You can say touch! The word will not harm you!"

Hubert shut his eyes. "Touch." When he opened them again, Ferdinand was still smiling. It gave him a bit of hope that maybe he hadn't ruined everything with that little display.

"Are you done in the greenhouse, then?" Ferdinand asked, like Hubert hadn't almost poisoned him on accident. "Do you need help with anything else?"

"No," Hubert said, "though I do believe I can help  _ you _ back to the infirmary."

Ferdinand made a face like he was about to put up a fight, before finally giving a heavy sigh. "Alright. But you must walk me all the way there."

"Of course."

"And stay with me for at least a few minutes."

"If you insist."

"I do."

Ferdinand made his way to the door, only walking a little bit stiffly. "Let us be on our way then!" he said, gesturing to the door elegantly as if it led to the palace's ballroom rather than the dorms of Garreg Mach.

The gesture fulfilled its purpose and pulled a chuckle out of Hubert. "Don't exert yourself too much," he said without any real bite, and followed Ferdinand outside.


	2. Chapter 2

The market below Garreg Mach was normally quite busy in the early afternoon, a variety of stalls with an even larger variety of wares stationed about, and people from the monastery and surrounding villages ambling through. Hubert disliked going to the market, but on this day it was much more pleasant than usual. The crowds had vanished, leaving only a few determined shoppers. And the open square, usually doused in bright sunlight, was now cast in shadows from the dark, rolling clouds above. They shed an odd greenish light about the stalls, and in the distance, thunder rumbled. In all honesty, it was perfect weather.

The professor had asked Hubert to purchase some new weapons to replenish their stockpile, and he took the opportunity to buy some new daggers for himself. Lately, he found more and more often that he had to leave knives in bleeding bodies to escape detection, and suddenly he found himself with only a few weapons left. In a war, that simply wouldn't do. After storing his purchases in a nondescript bag, a much closer and louder crack of thunder sent him walking back up to the monastery. While he did enjoy stormy weather, he enjoyed it most while indoors, most determinedly  _ out _ of the rain.

Hubert could almost admit to being in a good mood, feeling his normally stern expression ease into a more neutral one. Due to the market being free of crowds, it had taken a lot less time than he had expected to complete his errand. Climbing the stairs up to the monastery, he estimated he had saved at least an hour. The shopkeepers also seemed to haggle less with him, though perhaps he was just even more intimidating in the stormy shadows. Once he delivered the weapons, he could return to his office and go back to his usual business of paperwork. And even better, it would likely start raining, making for the perfect afternoon in his mind.

An ice cold drop of water hitting his nose stopped his line of thought, making him blink in surprise. Wiping it off with his sleeve, he glanced up to the rapidly darkening sky. The clouds moved by with surprising speed, and a flash lit them up followed immediately by a boom of thunder.

The bag with the daggers wasn’t particularly waterproof, and it would be unfortunate to get them wet with rain before they were even used. Hubert began to take the stairs two at a time. As more and more raindrops began to fall, he quickly scouted out the closest place with a roof. The large doors to the Entrance Hall were shut, likely because everyone who needed to be inside had come in long before the storm. Another option was necessary. His eyes landed on the stables, and he scowled. His good day was not going so well anymore. Setting aside his hatred of the stables, he walked over as quickly as his dignity would allow.

Just as he made it up the final flight of stairs, the sky opened up, dumping what seemed to be buckets of water upon the monastery. Hubert ran the last few feet, covering the bag with his arm and cursing the entire time.

He practically slid to a stop under the wooden roof, boots kicking up fine dust mixed with horse hair. The rain poured down outside in full force, pounding against the thin roof and quickly turning the stone path he had just been standing on into a river, cascading down the stairs and out of sight. A gust of wind shook the thin stable walls, stirring the now wet dirt just beyond the roof. Hubert watched all of this occur, mood souring further. It seemed he would be stuck here until the rain lightened up, at the very least.

The stable wall was dotted with little metal hooks to hang tack from, and with a defeated sigh Hubert removed the weapons bag and hung it up. It was mercifully dry, though Hubert did not fare quite as well. His cape was completely soaked through, adding what felt like ten pounds of additional weight on his shoulders. Angrily undoing the clasps, he hung it on another hook next to the bag. He doubted anyone would try and steal the bag in the monastery, especially considering it did not look valuable and was left in the stables, but hopefully his cape hanging nearby would scare away any would-be thieves. His coat was a bit damp, though unlikely to dry in the rain-soaked air. Grumbling, he took it off and folded it, tossing it over his shoulder. It left him unfortunately cold, but it was still better than wearing wet clothes. 

Glancing outside again, the rain had not let up, the wind still gusting and knocking doors and unsecured items around in the stables. Trademark glare back in place, he leaned back against the stable wall, brushing his damp hair out of his face. A few strands fell back to his eye, though the rest stuck and stayed behind his ear. He considered brushing it back in place, but he could use the extra visibility in the now dark stables. The minutes ticked on, Hubert becoming more and more irritated as the time he could have been using to get ahead on his work washed away in the storm. 

Caught in his thoughts, he found himself circling back to a memory he had been avoiding. It had been a week and a half since he had visited the greenhouse, and he kept making excuses not to return. Though soon he would have to keep his plants regardless.

Why had he turned Ferdinand away like that? He knew what was expected of a relationship, and he knew that's what he had agreed to. It shouldn't surprise him that Ferdinand was affectionate. Saints, he'd seen the man kiss his horse on the nose more times than he could count. And yet, the thought of Ferdinand doing the same to him filled him with something he could only label as panic. And being nervous about Ferdinand was simply ridiculous. Hubert furrowed his brows. He should think this through better. 

The wind changed direction, swirling around and blowing a fine mist under the roof, soaking areas closer to the edge. Hubert flinched at the sudden cold and angrily stomped farther into the stables to get away from the weather. A couple of the horses came up to the door to see who was coming through, but upon seeing Hubert they huffed and went to the opposite wall. Well, that was fine with him. Hubert was not fond of horses, and they were not fond of him, so that settled that.

It would just be a kiss, really. There was nothing to worry about. It was a common action and Hubert should not be concerned about such a trivial thing. Surely the next time it happened, he— 

Hubert paused in his pacing, hand over his pounding heart. Should he even expect a next time after what happened? He hadn't had time to talk to Ferdinand about much of anything with how busy they had become, not to mention his absolute failing at the greenhouse. Even though they had just started this relationship, Hubert had enjoyed Ferdinand being so close to him. Of course he would find a way to push him away so quickly. Maybe it was best to lower his expectations so he wouldn't be disappointed, and assume Ferdinand wouldn't want to come near him for a while. Who could blame him, after Hubert almost poisoned him. Goddess, how do you even mess up that badly?

Hubert heard a distinctly non-equine footstep from behind him, and he tensed, hand immediately finding the hilt of a new dagger at his belt. It would not have been hard for someone to see his cape hanging by the door, and sneak up on him in the pouring rain. The rain would also hide any sounds of a struggle, and the scene would likely not be investigated until it was too late. Well, this would be a fine opportunity to break in the new knife. Had to happen sometime.

Hubert turned to confront the potential assailant, but instead found Ferdinand von Aegir. Again.

"Ferdinand!" Hubert snapped, frustrated at somehow almost harming him a second time.

Ferdinand blinked in surprise. "Oh, it is you, Hubert! I thought it might be, but I have never seen you in the stables by yourself." He smiled. "What brings you here?" He was dressed down more than usual, though it was clear he had avoided the rain. He wore a simple white button down shirt, faintly smeared with dirt and covered in a smattering of horse hair, along with riding pants and boots. He did have his trademark red coat with him, hung over his shoulders, though he did not put his arms through the sleeves. Hubert wasn't sure what the point of wearing it like that was, but he made no comment. 

Hubert sighed, hand leaving the knife and running through his hair. "Don't sneak up on me like that."

"Oh, I did not realize that I—" His eyes found the dagger. "... Apologies. I did not mean to scare you." Looking up, his eyes caught on Hubert's messy hair. "Did you get caught in the storm? It happened very suddenly, no?"

Hubert pushed his bangs back to how they usually were. "Unfortunately. I would not choose to spend my time in the stables."

Ferdinand chuckled at that. "I was caring for some of the horses when it started, and decided I might as well stay."

"Is there anyone else sneaking around that I should know about?" Hubert asked, glaring at the thin walls.

Ferdinand thought for a second, hand on his chin. "Not that I know of. Just the horses."

Hubert caught the eye of one of the horses, which flattened its ears at him. "Great."

Another gust of wind blew through, shaking the tack on the walls and sending tiny pieces of hay airborne. Hubert coughed and turned on his heel. "I'm going back out front."

Ferdinand did not seem to notice or care about the sudden loss in air quality. "Allow me to accompany you. The horses are wonderful, but do not make good conversation partners."

Hubert nodded, though he was not sure Ferdinand saw, and went back to retrieve his cape. He hoped it had not blown away in the wind by now. Ferdinand followed, definitely walking louder than before. Was it good or bad luck to be stuck with him? It was true they needed to talk, but Hubert really  _ really _ didn't want to.

Relieved to find both his cape and bag where he left them, Hubert pulled his cape off the hook. The bottom still had a few drops of water coming off of it, so he wrung it out as best he could. Feet starting to hurt, he sat with his back against the wall, folding his cape so it would be easier to hold.

Ferdinand stood, shifting on his feet for a few seconds before sitting next to Hubert. Hesitantly, he leaned closer, until their shoulders touched. Hubert's hands paused in their task. Usually he was the one trying not to intimidate someone, moving obviously and carefully so as not to spook them. He was not used to being on the receiving end of such behavior. Squeezing a bit more water out of the cape into the dirt, Hubert shifted closer, hoping this communicated to Ferdinand that he didn't have to treat him like a wounded animal.

Ferdinand cleared his throat. "Hubert, I wanted to apologize."

Hubert stared at the ground, unable to look up. Even though he knew the answer, he asked, "For what?"

"For—in the greenhouse," Ferdinand said. Hubert tensed, and Ferdinand quickly continued. "I really should not have done something like that so soon, and I apologize for making you uncomfortable. It was not particularly noble of me to do such a thing!" he added, and gave a nervous laugh. "In the future, I will certainly ask you for anything even close to that, so you do not need to worry." Hubert picked at the hem of his cape as he tried to think of a response, and Ferdinand glanced over to him. "I… um… is this alright? For me to sit close to you like this?"

"It's fine," Hubert said curtly, annoyed with himself. "You do not need to apologize for anything. I was acting foolishly." Gathering his courage, he finally met Ferdinand's eye. "You don't need to act like you're walking on eggshells around me."

Ferdinand frowned, watching Hubert pull at a loose thread on his cape. "I do not wish to upset you," he said after a second. There was another pause before he murmured, "I—I do not want to ruin our relationship with something foolish."

"You won't," Hubert said more sharply than he meant to. "I'm afraid it is my shortcomings that have led us here. Please do not blame yourself." Hearing Ferdinand blame himself for Hubert's mistakes only made him feel more guilty for not knowing what he was doing. If only he were not so standoffish, perhaps they would not be in this position. Surely Ferdinand deserved a better partner than him.

Before he could voice this, Ferdinand spoke. "If I may not fully blame myself, then you may not either. A relationship is between two people, so we must work together!" He reached out and took Hubert's hand in his own. "I was serious when I said—Hubert, your hands are freezing!" he exclaimed, cutting himself off.

Hubert had not realized until Ferdinand had wrapped his warm hand around his own. He flexed his fingers, cold stiffening the joints. "I… had not noticed."

"Your gloves are soaked through," Ferdinand groused. "If you take them off, your hands will warm up more quickly."

Hubert hesitated. His hands were thin and bony, and had a smattering of scars across them. Old burns from learning spells beyond his skill level when he was younger, thin scars from when he was too tired to see straight and his knife slipped. He was unsure what Ferdinand would think.

Ferdinand had slipped his thumb under Hubert's glove, but stopped when Hubert didn't move. "Hubert? Is this okay?"

Hubert's eyes narrowed. There wasn't any point in trying to hide this from Ferdinand. Whatever he thought was what he thought, and if he wanted Hubert to never take his gloves off again, then so be it. "Go ahead."

Ferdinand carefully peeled Hubert's glove off, leaving a thin layer of moisture on his clammy skin. He set the glove on his knee, and covered Hubert's hand in his own. "I do not know how you did not notice, but I will be glad to help!" Ferdinand said with a grin. He held a hand out, repeating the gesture for Hubert's other hand and held them between his own. "Thank you."

Perhaps it was fortunate Ferdinand had not looked very closely at his hands, as he didn't seem to care about their sorry state. Hubert shook his head, feeling coming back into his fingertips. "I should be thanking you," he chuckled.

"What I mean is—thank you for allowing me to be close to you like this," Ferdinand said, cheeks pink. "I know you may not believe me yet, but I care for you deeply. I wish to stay by your side so long as you will have me."

Hubert felt his ears get hot at that. "If you are sure. Especially considering the last time I almost poisoned you."

Ferdinand laughed at that, thank the goddess, holding Hubert's hands tighter. "I am sure there will be other opportunities in the future where accidental poisonings won't occur."

Neither of them said an opportunity for  _ what,  _ though Ferdinand's honest smile and soft gaze caught Hubert in a conflict of interests. He wanted to pull away and give himself some space to think clearly, and yet he also wanted to push closer, lean against Ferdinand and see if the rest of him was as warm as his hands. 

It was startlingly cold in the rain, Hubert holding back a shiver. The day had been cool previously, but now it felt downright freezing. Ferdinand leaned in a bit, pressing himself to Hubert's side. Perhaps he was also getting cold? Hubert held onto Ferdinand's hands a little tighter, and Ferdinand sighed in contentment. It might have been bad luck to be caught in the rain in the stables, but surely this wasn't the worst turn of events.

Of course, the second Hubert had that thought, the wind changed direction again and gusted directly under the roof, shaking it violently while sending an ice cold spray of water underneath. Ferdinand flinched as Hubert bit back a curse, both raising their hands to block the rain.

Ferdinand stood quickly, pulling Hubert up with him. "Come on!" he shouted over the wind, pulling Hubert farther back into the stables and out of the rain.

The stable doors passed by in a haze of kicked up dust and hay, and Ferdinand finally stopped in a back room beyond the stalls. It seemed this was the only dry place unoccupied by horses, but a narrow doorway let some of the cold and rain in. The room was more sheltered than the open area outside, but it was still being blasted with icy mist. Ferdinand glared at the door frame, crossing his arms and clearly trying to figure something else out.

Still holding his cloak in his arms, Hubert had an idea. It was mostly dry now, just damp on the edges, and the thick fabric had protected the weapons bag rather well. Perhaps it could come in useful again? 

He unfolded it, holding it up so the bottom didn't get covered in dirt. Stepping into the small doorway to the inner stables, Hubert sat with his back facing the open doorway and the rain. Glancing back to Ferdinand, who looked very confused about why Hubert was sitting in the dirt, Hubert indicated that Ferdinand sit next to him. Ferdinand looked doubtful, but did as shown. "Hubert,  _ what— _ "

Hubert took the corners of the cape in his hands and tossed it over them, shielding their backs from the rain. It was a little longer than he expected though, and covered both of their faces in a swath of black fabric as well.

Ferdinand lifted up the edge of the cloak with his fingers, and grinned up at Hubert. "You are so clever!"

Hubert blinked, pushing his hair back into place. "I'm not sure this was particularly  _ clever _ , per se."

Ferdinand laughed and pressed close. "I thought it was." He pulled the cloak tighter around his shoulders.

Ferdinand was just as warm as his hands, and Hubert moved closer as well. He let out a pent up breath, watching it fog the air in front of him. The temperature had dropped even further as the rain continued. His coat was still tossed over his shoulder, acting almost like a blanket for half of him while Ferdinand warmed the rest.

Ferdinand shifted next to him, rubbing his hands together. "It got cold rather quickly in the rain, did it not?"

Hubert nodded, somehow hesitant to break the quiet between them despite the pouring rain. "Are you alright?"

"I am—fine," Ferdinand said, looking up just as Hubert turned, voice catching as he realized how close they were, noses almost bumping into each other.

Hubert tensed as he found wide amber eyes meeting his. The mist from the rain formed little drops on the tips of Ferdinand's eyelashes, something that felt much too personal to notice, and Hubert turned away. "Sorry, I—"

Ferdinand reached out and put his hand on Hubert's cheek, gently turning his face back. "It's alright."

Hubert felt his face warm under Ferdinand's touch, watching Ferdinand blush and glance to the side himself. "Hubert, if—if I may ask, I…"

Hubert was silent, heart pounding. He had not come to a conclusion on what he would do in this scenario, since he had been interrupted by Ferdinand himself. But he suspected he knew what he wanted, even before he had thought about it again earlier.

Ferdinand brushed his fingers through Hubert's hair, pushing it back out of his face. "May I kiss you?" The tips of Ferdinand's fingers trembled as he asked, tucking Hubert's bangs behind his ear.

At this point, it felt foolish to keep avoiding the subject. And to be fair, Hubert didn't know if he would like or dislike it, and there was only one way to find out. Ignoring his nerves, Hubert nodded.

Ferdinand stared. "You—yes? You are sure?"

Hubert laughed under his breath. "I am."

Ferdinand leaned in quickly, as if he were afraid Hubert was going to change his mind, and kissed him. It was—not as Hubert expected. Ferdinand's lips were softer than he thought, even though Ferdinand had pressed forward too eagerly, and just as he grew accustomed to this closeness Ferdinand pulled away, lips pressed together and face red. 

"Sorry, that was not—I did not do that well," he said in a rush. 

"I don't really care," Hubert started, because even though he had no frame of reference it surely wasn't  _ that _ bad, but before he could finish the thought Ferdinand had shifted to his knees, took Hubert's face in his hands and kissed him again.

He was gentler this time, tilting his head to the side for a better angle. Hubert sighed, unsure of what the best thing to do was but responding as well as he could. He reached up to touch Ferdinand's hand with his own, jolting back at the unfamiliar feeling of skin against his fingertips. His gloves—what had happened to them?

Ferdinand pulled away, a heavy breath escaping him. "Is everything okay?"

Hubert nodded, eyes caught on Ferdinand's mouth. "I just—my gloves—" 

"Oh!" Ferdinand reached into his pocket and pulled them out, a bit wrinkled but otherwise okay. "I have them." He pressed them into Hubert's hand with a smile, fingers brushing over Hubert's more than necessary.

They had dried out surprisingly well, and Hubert began to pull them back on. "Thank you. I… did not mean to interrupt, but I was concerned I had lost them."

Ferdinand watched as Hubert put them on, pulling them tight on the tips of his fingers and flexing them to stretch them back out. "Is there something special about them?" 

Hubert did have a number of pairs of white gloves, always ready with a replacement if they got dirty or damaged. In this pair, though, he had a tool that he would prefer not to lose, given its difficulty to find. He gave Ferdinand a half-smile before bringing the edge of his glove to his mouth and pulling a long, thin piece of metal out from between the seams, holding it in his teeth. Ferdinand stared with eyes wide, blushing up to his ears. "Um?"

Hubert took between his fingers, holding it where it was more visible. "Lockpick. Or weapon, perhaps."

Ferdinand was silent for a second before finally saying "Can I kiss you again?"

Hubert laughed as he tucked the lockpick back into his glove. "If you like."

Ferdinand's lips curved into a smile as they pressed against his own. He didn't understand why Ferdinand had said that, or honestly why he even wanted this sort of relationship in the first place. His life had always been shaped by understanding things, why they happened, how they worked. But perhaps he didn't need to understand this. It did not matter if he understood it or not, Ferdinand wanted to stay with him regardless. And so he decided to stop thinking about it so critically.

Ferdinand pulled away, pressing a kiss to Hubert's forehead. "I love you."

Hubert stopped thinking completely. "... What?"

Ferdinand made an odd face, caught somewhere between embarrassment and confusion. "I said that before, did I not? I thought I did, though I suppose I was bleeding out at the time…"

"You did," Hubert responded, "but I assumed you said that because you were injured, and you wanted to tell me in case you did not make it." Hubert did not like revisiting the memory.

Ferdinand frowned at Hubert's downcast expression. "That is true, and my feelings remain the same now."

Even though he had said it before on the battlefield, in some way it was still shocking that he could feel that way now, when he was not bleeding out in the mud and had all the time in the world to articulate his thoughts. That somehow, those had not just been words inspired by the moment, his desperate final breaths. "I see," Hubert said weakly.

"Oh!" Ferdinand said like he suddenly understood the problem. "I am not saying that to say—you do not need to say it back," he blurted out, holding Hubert's shoulders. "I just want you to know how I feel."

Hubert swallowed nervously.  _ Was he supposed to say it back? _ "Okay?"

Ferdinand glanced away before sitting down next to Hubert again, tucking in close to his side. "I am not expecting you to know how you feel so soon. I am just glad you are with me, and I with you."

Hubert held out a hand to Ferdinand, palm up. "I feel the same. I… I am always glad to spend time with you."

Ferdinand took his hand with a grin. "It does not look like the rain will let up quite yet, so it seems we have a little while longer."

Hubert glanced over to him. "I cannot complain."

The rain had not lightened at all for the time they had taken shelter, still shaking the stable walls and making a river out of the cobblestone road outside. Even though he was trapped away from his office, unable to complete his work, he had to admit to himself that he was... happy. It was an unfamiliar emotion to him, not something he allowed himself to feel for fear of being compromised in any sort of way. 

Until the war ended, he would still have to keep his guard up. It was unavoidable. But in these small little moments that he had with Ferdinand, he could relax. Resting his head on Ferdinand's shoulder, he sighed in contentment, the cold of the rain kept at bay.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sort of figuring this out as I go, but I do expect 5-6 chapters for this. I'm currently a full time student in college so uh... updates will happen.... eventually. I also have a twitter at smolowl_, I'm still getting in the hang of using it but say hi if you want! And as always, thanks for reading!


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